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Hole One a New See Posted 13 years ago
Grammar

Countable, Uncountable

Hi everybody,

There are some words which are countable and uncountable at the same time. What can I do with these words? Maybe not the best example, buuuut for example 'aubergine' is such a word. The definitions are the same for countable and uncountable cases. Maybe it is nothing but that I can use the rules of uncountable and countable nouns, too. Is it the situation?

Thanks for your help in advance.
  

Top answer

Hole One a New See There are some words which are countable and uncountable at the same time. Not at the same time, actually. More like at different times.

— CalifJim

  • Hole One a New See There are some words which are countable and uncountable at the same time.
  • Not at the same time, actually.
  • More like at different times.
  • All it means is that the same word can be used in two ways.
  • 1) to designate something object-like, a thing with boundaries (to buy an aubergine) 2) to designate something substance-like, stuff without boundaries (to use aubergine in a recipe) CJ
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20 Answers
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Hole One a New SeeThere are some words which are countable and uncountable at the same time.
Not at the same time, actually. More like at different times.
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It sounds logical. Thank you very much Emotion: smile
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A question has occurred to me: Orange is countable so we say for example I want 2 oranges.
But in Iran we don't buy fruits granulary. We buy fruits in kilos.
Now in this situation should the clerk ask: How much orange do you want?
answer: 2 kilos.
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blueblooded65We buy fruits in kilos.Now in this situation should the clerk ask: How much orange do you want?
No. The clerk asks "How many kilos of oranges do you want?"

CJ
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I knew it. But I thought maybe we can use"how much" too. As in Farsi.
So it's not possible.
Thanks a lot.
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blueblooded65 I thought maybe we can use"how much" too.
I see.
blueblooded65As in Farsi.
No. We say things in English as in English. Not as in French or as in Chinese or as in Farsi.
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Do we say "a can of tomato" or "a can of tomatoes"?
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blueblooded65Do we say "a can of tomato" or "a can of tomatoes"?
Tomatoes are countable, so we say a can of tomatoes, a can of beans, a can of peas.

Some uncountable counterparts are a can of soup, a can of corn, a can of spinach, a can of tomato paste, a can of tomato juice, a can of tomato sauce, a can of coconut milk, a can of apple sauce
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What if the tomatoes in the can are chopped?
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blueblooded65What if the tomatoes in the can are chopped?
They're still tomatoes.

a can of chopped tomatoes
a can of crushed tomatoes
a can of diced tomatoes
a can of cubed tomatoes
a can of pulverized tomatoes
a can of delicious tomatoes
a can of sour tomatoes
a can of sweet tomatoes
a can of big tomatoes
a can of
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